Issue 1 needed for city's future

Representatives of a Fortune 500 company seeking to expand visited Lancaster. Touring Lancaster in cars, they immediately voiced their disappointment in the "dismal" condition of our streets.

Continuing the tour, a school was passed - the visitors looked all too knowingly at each other. Passing another, the woman in charge said, "We've seen enough, where's the next community?"

Well, since that visit, Lancaster is well on its way to correcting our schools buildings and infrastructure. Now we must address the terrible - and worsening - condition of our streets; we'll do just that when we approve Issue 1 on May 7.

When major corporations consider any area for expansion and growth, they look for an educated, ample work force, better-than-average public education and access to adequate supplies of clean, fresh water accompanied by a more than adequate sanitation system. They look for signs that the community's residents have pride of ownership and that means all infrastructure, including city streets and alleys, is well maintained. Better than average transportation infrastructure to ensure the company efficiently can ship its goods and receive supplies - this, again, comes back, at least in part, to our city's streets. They look for cultural and educational opportunities and the community's quality of life. After just about everything else they consider taxes.